01 Feb Fashion to Fashion: Stepping outside the pillow box!

Happy New Year everyone!  Can’t believe January is already over!?! The year is zooming forward.  What are YOU going to do this year to step outside your comfort zone? Why not take a look at your own creativity and design sensibility through other people’s lenses?  Well, we did just that during the last 4 months of 2011 and it was a curious adventure indeed.

We decided to step away from all the hoopla of our in-store events and into the world of fashion from a different angle. Literally! We styled our very first fashion shoot for the talented photographer Farid Zarrinabadi AND walked the runway for the very first time as a mother-of-the-bride model for Butterfly Entertainment at Engaged Austin.  Talk about stepping outside our comfort zone!!!  All great fun, amazing talent and a twist on life. Enjoy!  We wish you many bold steps in 2012!  xoPG

1940’s Fashion Shoot at Howl Interiors for Photographer Farid Zarrinabadi.  Featuring our one-of-a-kind pillows with models: Brianna Fleet, Britany Walker and Vladislava Bainton.  Hair by Kadia Kamara; makeup by Ana Brooks.

Brianna Fleet in 1940’s black and white satin/chiffon gown (from Deborah’s personal collection) with one-of-a-kind pillow from our Rococo Ribbon Collection, featuring vintage French trim and contemporary ribbon.

Britany Walker in a cream 1940’s lace nightgown with pillows from our Tie-That-Knot! Bridal Collection, featuring ring pillows and gifts for bridesmaids and mother-of-the-bride.

Brianna Fleet relaxing in a full draped 1940’s classic gown alongside a one-of-a-kind vintage leopard pillow from our newest collection of vintage fur pillows coming soon!

Britany Walker featuring one of our bridal pillows: Vintage Floral Bouquet.

An adorable photo of Vladislava Bainton, against the backdrop of one of Barry Jelinski’s large shell mirrors, in a dark Navy 1940’s dress with a fun pink & blue hat and large multi-colored asymetrical brooch.

Britany Walker nestled in a cozy chair with an array of one-of-a-kind pillows, some with vintage brooches.  The top one is handcrafted from a Golden Yellow 1950’s Silk cocktail dress and its original bow, then paired with a faux snakeskin ribbon and a unique artisan’s brooch.

The lovely Vladislava Bainton is modeling a beautiful 1940’s lace dress and the Peacock Silk Ribbon pillow from our LUXE VIP Collection featuring vintage designer brooches you can take off and wear. Jewelry for her. Jewelry for the home.

Britany Walker is about to take a cruise in a 1940’s chocolate brown velvet suit along with a vintage traveling case and some St. Louis, New York and Hawaii pillows from our DizzyHappySummerFun Collection featuring original souvenir scarves from the 1940’s and 1950’s. (Note: We carry many vintage souvenir scarves from any state…take your pick!)

Brianna Fleet sporting a 1940’s dark navy crepe dress with one of my favorite VIP pillows: Midnight Blue Silk, featuring wearable and removable vintage Marquis brooch perched hand-dyed silk ribbon.

Okay, I admit, this is one of my absolute fave LUXE VIP pillows: .Black Chanticleer (Rooser) feathers with Starburst Brooch.  I love how the gold in the silk brocade complements the gold in the brooch!

Vladislava Bainton in a navy 1940’s dress with a metal studded draped back.  She’s wearing a gorgeous Hattie Carnegie green brooch/earring set that matches her green eyes.  In the background is a LUXE VIP pillow made from Raspberry 1930’s lace with a huge mulit-pronged purple brooch.

This isn’t the only photo Ms. Brianna Fleet is holding a dagger…possibly about to pierce this one-of-a-kind pillow from our Rococo Ribbon Collection.

Britany Walker in 1940’s cream lace nightgown holding one-of-a-kind pillow with vintage flower centerpiece from our Rococo Ribbon collection.

Farid and I met a couple years ago at one of Fashionably Austin’s Fashionably Connected social networking events.  Jewelry designer Cynthia Bloom and I saw him taking photographs of some of the guests posing as models, so we decided to join in on the fun.  Since that day, Farid has always wanted to combine his love for Hitchcock films with my love for vintage.  So at his invitation I was thrust into all of sudden being the stylist for the entire photo shoot!  A pretty daunting task for a novice, but my interest was piqued. Howl Interiors provided the perfect offbeat backdrop for the dark images Farid had in mind. I was thrilled to be assigned to find 1940’s outfits for 3 models, but its when he asked me if I also had on hand an oversized pair of scissors, dagger and needle that I began to panic. (Oh, not really, but I was kind of nervous).  I learned so much of what to do, what not to do that I can’t wait for another opportunity to really hone my styling skills. It was an honor to work with Farid and all the models.  My naivete was put to the test: a photo shoot I thought would last a couple hours turned into an all night affair!  Many thanks to the models, stylists, clothing & furs from Victoria Closet (Austin Antique Mall), hats from Amelia’s Retro-Vogue & Relics.  A special thank you to our patient host, Aaron Jelinski, manager of Howl Interiors.  All furnishings, and owner Barry Jelinski’s large artistic mirrors and more of his fine work, available at Howl Interiors.  All vintage jewelry from our private collection at Deborah Main Designs.To see more fantastic photos click here.

Leopard pillow from a vintage leopard coat modeled by Kadia Kamara.

Chevron mink pillow handcrafted from vintage mink coat, modeled by Britany Walker.

Our hair & makeup stylists: Kadia Kamara & Ana Brooks

In closing, here are a few photos from my fashion model debut as mother-of-the-bride.  Thankfully, my children are NOT yet of marrying age!  Great fun and I didn’t trip or fall off the platform! Yeah!!!  Many thanks to Brianna Fleet with Butterfly Entertainment for a fun and entertaining Sunday afternoon at Engaged Austin! Photography by Peter Tung; Jewelry provided by Leonardo D’Almagro.

The “Mother-of-the-Bride” gang of four!

Note: All photography by, and with permission from, AustinPhotoNet and Peter Tung.